This review presents a comprehensive and critical evaluation of carbon-based and graphene-based thermal interface materials (TIMs) for advanced thermal management in electronic systems. Conventional TIMs typically exhibit thermal conductivities in the range of 0.1–10 W/m·K, limiting their effectiveness in high-power and miniaturized devices. In contrast, carbon-based TIMs demonstrate significantly enhanced performance, with carbon nanotube (CNT) composites achieving 8–12 W/m·K and graphene-based composites reaching up to 23.2 W/m·K at 60 wt% loading. We provide a detailed comparative analysis of CNT and graphene architectures, emphasizing their exceptional intrinsic thermal conductivities (~3000 W/m·K for CNTs and ~5000 W/m·K for graphene) and addressing practical challenges such as interfacial resistance, dispersion uniformity, and large-scale integration. The review synthesizes fabrication strategies, performance trends, and application-specific considerations, while outlining future directions including hybrid architectures, eco-friendly formulations, and cost-effective, scalable manufacturing techniques. By integrating quantitative comparisons and identifying critical research gaps, this work offers a roadmap for next-generation TIM development aimed at a high-power electronics, telecommunications, and computing systems, where efficient thermal management is essential for reliability, energy efficiency, and long-term operational performance.
Dhumal, A. Radhakisan , Kulkarni, A. and Ambhore, N. (2026). Recent Developments in Carbon based and Graphene based Thermal Interface Materials: A Review. AUT Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 10(3), 255-268. doi: 10.22060/ajme.2026.24363.6196
MLA
Dhumal, A. Radhakisan, , Kulkarni, A. , and Ambhore, N. . "Recent Developments in Carbon based and Graphene based Thermal Interface Materials: A Review", AUT Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 10, 3, 2026, 255-268. doi: 10.22060/ajme.2026.24363.6196
HARVARD
Dhumal, A. Radhakisan, Kulkarni, A., Ambhore, N. (2026). 'Recent Developments in Carbon based and Graphene based Thermal Interface Materials: A Review', AUT Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 10(3), pp. 255-268. doi: 10.22060/ajme.2026.24363.6196
CHICAGO
A. Radhakisan Dhumal , A. Kulkarni and N. Ambhore, "Recent Developments in Carbon based and Graphene based Thermal Interface Materials: A Review," AUT Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 10 3 (2026): 255-268, doi: 10.22060/ajme.2026.24363.6196
VANCOUVER
Dhumal, A. Radhakisan, Kulkarni, A., Ambhore, N. Recent Developments in Carbon based and Graphene based Thermal Interface Materials: A Review. AUT Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2026; 10(3): 255-268. doi: 10.22060/ajme.2026.24363.6196
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